Aurora University Athletics

The Aurora University men's basketball team hosted the Bulldogs of Adrian College college in game two of the Mickey Johnson Tip-Off Classic. Adrian came out hot taking an early 12-point lead but the Spartans battled back to take a late first half lead. AU would fight hard in the second half, never giving up that lead and winning the 2026-2027 opener 90-82.


FINAL SCORE: Aurora University 90, Adrian College 82
LOCATION: Thornton Gymnasium - Aurora, Illinois
RECORDS: Aurora University 1-0 overall ; Adrian College 0-1 overall 


- The Spartans started out hot with a 6-0 lead fueled by a four-point play from Cullen Rauls.
- The Rauls early free-throw was an unknowing sign to come in the contest.
- AU led 10-9 after the first media timeout with the visitors on the start of 30-12 run.
- With 9:21 left in the first half, AU trailed 34-22.
- It was the Spartans though that would then fire off a 27-6 scoring run and led 49-40 going to halftime.
- AU would shoot 16-of-18 from the free-throw line in the opening half and were led by 13 points each from Rauls and Josh Tinney.
- The Spartans continued to take advantage of the Bulldog foul trouble in the second-half, going to the free-throw line 30 more times.
- The AU lead was a healthy single digit amount for most of the second-half with a couple times getting down to three.
- AU always had an answer though and would go on to win 90-82.
- Rauls led all scorers with 30 points as Devon Richardson had a double-double (15 points and 14 rebounds) and four Spartans finished in double figure scoring.
- AU finished the night 34-of-48 from the free throw line and shot 57.8% from the field (26-of-45).
 
 
Points: Cullen Rauls (30), Josh Tinney (18), Zerrick Johnson (17) and Devon Richardson (15)
Assists: Josh Tinney (4)
Rebounds: Devon Richardson (14)
Steals: Cullen Rauls (3)
Blocks: Josh Tinney (3)

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Next action for the Spartan men's basketball team comes on Saturday, November 7, 2026 when they take on Millikin University in the final game of the Mickey Johnson Tip-Off Classic. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. at Thornton Gymnasium in Aurora, Illinois.